Apple says goodbye to Clips app

Apple appears to be ending support for Clips, with the company removing it from the App Store and saying it will no longer update it.

On a support page on the Apple website, the company says that as of October 10, new users can no longer download Clips, but existing users can continue to use the app on current or previous versions of iOS and iPadOS. Existing users can also re-download the app from their Apple account if needed.

Without updates, Clips will likely become more difficult to use over time, so Apple recommends that users download Clips videos (with or without additional effects) to their Photos library so they can watch and edit the videos using other apps.

Released in 2017, Clips seemed to be Apple’s answer to Snapchat and Instagram Stories. It wasn’t a social network, but it did allow users to stitch together photos and videos using filters, emojis, and music.

Early on, TechCrunch’s Brian Heater called Clips’ video editing features simple and flawed, suggesting that the app could allow Apple to show off the capabilities of its hardware and software while also offering users a way out of what was then a growing social ecosystem.

MacRumors reports that Apple has upgraded Clips to add new features since its release, but recent updates have been limited to bug fixes.

Apple fans on Reddit didn’t seem surprised by the news, saying they either tried the app a few years ago or had never heard of it. Additionally, apps like Clips, which are built around real footage shot by real people, may feel a little outdated compared to Sora, OpenAI’s generative AI video app that recently hit 1 million downloads.